A first-timer's guide to cities in Vietnam

updated 5/26/2023

There’s nowhere quite like Vietnam – a land of true contrasts, from the frenetic and fascinating capital of Hanoi to the idyllic rice terraces of mountainous Sapa. With so much to see in this beautiful country, it can be hard to know which places to visit. Here is our guide to the best cities in Vietnam.

Hoi An, Central Vietnam
Dalat, Central Highlands
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Southern Vietnam - one of the best cities in Vietnam for foodies
Sapa, Northwest Vietnam
Hue, Central Coast
Hanoi, North Vietnam
Da Nang, Central Coast
Nha Trang, Southern Vietnam
Ninh Bình, Northern Vietnam

This article is inspired by our Rough Guides to Vietnam — your essential guide for travelling to Vietnam.

Hoi An, Central Vietnam

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Sightseeing, shopping and café hopping

Don’t miss: Seeing the thousands of lanterns on an evening stroll around the Old Town

If you want to combine sightseeing with a spate of shopping, then the charming UNESCO world heritage city of Hoi An should be top of your list. Dating back to the 15th century, character positively oozes out of its ancient, ochre-hued walls. It’s not hard to see why the city is often dubbed the 'Venice of the East’.

Spend your afternoons strolling along the main canal and exploring the labyrinth of winding streets, lined with market stalls, tailors, cafés and boutique shops. You can get almost anything made here – and for incredibly little money by Western standards – so be warned, you may be going home with far more than you came with.

If shopping doesn't interest you, escape the crowds and pedal down to the ocean for some relaxing beach time – the beach is only a 15-minute cycle away. Hoi An really comes alive at night, when thousands of brightly-coloured silk lanterns illuminate every nook and cranny of the Old Town creating a magical glow – a photographer’s paradise. See why Hoi An was voted as one of the most beautiful places in Southeast Asia.

Where to stay in Hoi An:

For a luxurious stay with a spa and swimming pool: Anantara Hoi An Resort
For a stay with traditional Vietnamese-style rooms: Hoi An Ancient House

Or browse accommodation of all kinds in Hoi An

Hoi An is lined with picturesque canals © Sarah Gibbons

Dalat, Central Highlands

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Countryside romps and canyoning thrills

Don’t miss: The hair-raising canyoning experience

If baking on the beach is something you’d rather avoid, then make sure Da Lat – known as the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ – is on your itinerary. Located in the picturesque Central Highlands, this quaint mountain city enjoys far cooler temperatures than its coastal counterparts. Here, you're surrounded by pine forests, open meadows and coffee plantations.

A popular weekend break destination for domestic tourists, this city is built for romance, with its French colonial architecture, horse-drawn carriages and even an Eiffel Tower-lookalike radio pylon. However, it’s got a serious adventure streak too, with travellers from all over the world coming to experience one of the most adrenaline-inducing canyoning experiences in Southeast Asia.

Not for the faint of heart, this involves scrambling, jumping and abseiling down 20-metre waterfalls – a hair-raising, but utterly thrilling activity that you won’t forget in a hurry.

Ready to immerse yourself in Vietnamese cuisine? Our tailor-made trip service makes travelling easy by taking care of the planning and booking. Our Vietnam Culinary Discovery trip takes you through the many cuisines of the North, Centre and South. Our trips are crafted by local travel experts and are completely customisable.

Canyoning in Dalat – not for the faint-hearted © Sarah Gibbons

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Southern Vietnam - one of the best cities in Vietnam for foodies

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Buzzing culture and cheap eats

Don’t miss: Exploring the city’s best street food on a motorbike tour

You haven’t experienced chaotic traffic until you’ve been to Ho Chi Minh City (still known by many locals as Saigon) – a high-octane, positively pulsating city of over eight million people. One of the first things you’ll no doubt experience is the blaring horns and clatter of thousands of bikes zipping around; it seems like pandemonium yet somehow everyone seems to know where they’re going.

The food scene here is thriving and if you can muster the courage, join a motorbike street food tour (as a passenger, naturally) and take a whistle-stop tour of the city’s best street food, from Bánh mì (filled baguettes) to bánh xèo (crispy rice-flour pancakes).

Ho Chi Minh City is also the gateway to exploring the fascinating, and highly claustrophobic, Cu Chi Tunnels – used by Vietnamese guerrilla fighters during the war with America – as well as the hard-hitting War Remnants Museum.

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City:

For a 5-star stay with panoramic city views: The Reverie Saigon
For a stay in the city centre with a gorgeous rooftop: Caravelle Saigon

Or find your dream accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City

Bánh xèo, a crispy rice-flour pancake filled with a variety of delicious choices © Alphonsine Sabine/Shutterstock

Sapa, Northwest Vietnam

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Trekking through the iconic rice terraces

Don’t miss: The view from the top of Fansipan Mountain

Established as a Hill Station by the French in 1922, Sapa is the tourist hub of the mountainous north – famed for its dramatic rice terraces that cling to the steep hillsides. The region is also home to a number of ethnic minorities, namely the Red Dao and Black Hmong, who still wear their distinctive traditional dress – each village wears different clothing.

Spend your days exploring the region on one of the multitude of hiking trails and if you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can tackle Mount Fansipan itself, the highest peak in Indochina at 3,143m. If you don’t fancy the trudge, then you can still soak up the incredible views thanks to the Fansipan Legend cable car – reportedly the highest and longest in the world.

Rice terraces in Sapa, Vietnam © This Is Me/Shutterstock

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Hue, Central Coast

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Exploring Vietnam’s imperial history

Don’t miss: Biking along the Hai Van Pass

Get a taste of Vietnam’s imperial past on a visit to Hue, the Vietnamese capital (1802-1945) during the time of the Nguyen Dynasty , which dissolved at the end of the war with America. Straddling the Song Huong (Perfume River), the city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to The Imperial City – a vast network of temples, museums and pavilions that will definitely keep you busy all day long.

If you're travelling to Hue from Da Nang and Hoi An or vice versa, make sure to travel the Hai Van Pass: a stunning mountain road of hairpin turns and panoramic vistas of deserted beaches and mist-clad hills. Some may recognise it from Top Gear, who named it one of the best coastal roads in the world in their Vietnam special. You can either rent a motorbike and experience it solo or join an ‘Easy Rider’ tour as a passenger.

Where to stay in Hue:

For a stay with spacious villas and bungalows with stunning views: Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa
For an elegant stay with a spa and pool: Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa

Or find accommodation at any budget in Hue

Prefer to leave planning and booking to experts? Our tailor-made service allows you to travel without the hassle. Our Quintessential Vietnam trip will take you through Ho Chi Mihn City, and Hanoi as well as through traditional villages of the Mekong Delta.

Hue, one of the best cities in Vietnam © Efired/Shutterstock

Hanoi, North Vietnam

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Pho-loving and bargain hunting

Don’t miss: A stroll around the serene Hoan Kiem Lake in the centre of Hanoi’s historic district – a hub of activity for tourists and locals alike.

Vietnam’s attractive capital is a city of contrasts, from the wide, elegant streets of the French Quarter to the colourful chaos of the Old Quarter. Most of the activity is found in the latter – the UNESCO-protected heart of the city. Packed with hundreds of shops and market stalls spilling out onto the streets (and thousands of motorbikes!) the best way to explore is to just dive in and see what you discover.

Make time to stop off and sample a Pho; Hanoi is the home of this famous noodle soup, after all. You can easily spend several days in Hanoi itself, but most also use it as a springboard to exploring the iconic Halong Bay and its thousands of towering limestone pillars – a four-hour drive away.

The peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake is well worth a visit, and it's steeped in history too: legend has it that Emperor Le Loi obtained a magical sword from the Dragon King to fight against Chinese oppressors in 1428.

Where to stay in Hanoi:

For a stay with colonial grandeur and modern luxury: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
For a stay on the serene waters of West Lake: InterContinental Hanoi Westlake

Or find your perfect accommodation in Hanoi.

Tran Quoc temple in Hanoi, Vietnam © martinho Smart/Shutterstock

Da Nang, Central Coast

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Beach breaks and cosmopolitan city culture

Don’t miss: The Marble Mountains and the Golden Bridge

Vietnam’s third-largest city, just up the coast from Hoi An, cosmopolitan Da Nang is changing fast and steadily gaining a reputation with visitors . Known for its white-sand beaches, stylish bars and restaurants and picturesque surrounding mountains, there’s plenty to keep you occupied for a few days.

One of the most popular things to see is the Marble Mountains, a cluster of five mountains named after the earth’s elements: Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth). The main attraction is Nui Thuy Son Mountain, the largest in the group and home to a series of caves; you can also climb up one of the winding staircases in the rock to enjoy the vistas of the surrounding countryside.

One of the newest attractions is the Golden Bridge, a 150-metre-long pedestrian bridge in the Bà Nà Hills resort. Supported by two gigantic hands it looks like something out of a fantasy film set.

Want to experience Vietnam but without the hassle of booking and planning? Our Vietnam for Romantics trip is the ideal mix of culture (Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City) paired with nature (Halong Bay, Mekong Delta) and ending the trip on picturesque Phu Quoc.

Nha Trang, Southern Vietnam

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Beach activities, water sports, and nightlife

Don't miss: Snorkeling or diving in the vibrant coral reefs of Nha Trang Bay

For those seeking a mix of sun, sand, and vibrant nightlife, Nha Trang is a must-visit destination in Southern Vietnam. Known for its stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters, Nha Trang offers a range of beach activities and water sports that cater to all tastes.

One of the highlights of Nha Trang is the opportunity to explore the remarkable marine life beneath the surface. Embark on a snorkelling or diving adventure to discover the vibrant coral reefs of Nha Trang Bay. Dive into an underwater wonderland teeming with colourful fish, graceful sea turtles, and a myriad of other fascinating marine creatures.

Apart from its beautiful coastline, Nha Trang is renowned for its lively nightlife scene. As the sun sets, the city comes alive with an array of bars, clubs, and beachside parties that cater to both locals and tourists. Indulge in delicious seafood dinners, sip tropical cocktails, and dance the night away under the starlit sky.

Ninh Bình, Northern Vietnam

One of the best cities in Vietnam for: Natural landscapes, scenic boat rides, and cultural exploration

Don't miss: Taking a boat tour through the breathtaking Trang An Grottoes

Ninh Bình, located in the northern region of Vietnam, is a hidden gem that offers a serene escape into nature. Often referred to as the "Halong Bay on land," Ninh Bình is characterized by its stunning karst landscape, limestone cliffs, and emerald green rice paddies. It's also an affordable getaway.

One of the best ways to explore the natural beauty of Ninh Bình is by taking a boat tour through the Trang An Grottoes. Hop aboard a traditional sampan boat, and navigate through a network of limestone caves, lush valleys, and winding rivers.

As you glide through the calm waters, you'll be mesmerized by the breathtaking vistas and the intricate system of caves adorned with stalactites and stalagmites. This UNESCO World Heritage site offers a glimpse into the region's rich natural history and cultural heritage.

Aside from its natural wonders, Ninh Bình is also home to historical landmarks and ancient temples. Visit the iconic Bai Dinh Pagoda, one of the largest Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia, and marvel at its grandeur and intricate architecture.

There is much to do and see in Vietnam — even beyond the country's vibrant cities. Ready to start planning your trip? Check out the Rough Guide to Vietnam.

If you prefer to plan and book your trip to Vietnam without any effort and hassle, use the expertise of our local travel experts to make sure your trip will be just like you dream it to be.

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